In The News

President Ford meets with Gen. Francisco Franco in Madrid with discussions centering on the future of U.S. air and naval bases in Spain.

At Salzburgh Austria – President Ford and President Anwar Sadat open talks. The pressure is on Israel to come to terms in the Middle East dispute.

Celebration - The Suez Canal reopens after eight years. President Anwar Sadat hailed the canal as a “tributary of peace and a channel of prosperity and cooperation among men. He added that the canal was also a reminder to ‘friendly people everywhere that cherished parts of Arab lands are still suffering under foreign occupation and Arab people are enduring the anguish of force exile.”

U.S. officials believe Israel will send cargo through the newly reopened Suez Canal in the near future and Egypt will let it passed unchallenged.

Susan graduates - President Ford conducts a commencement speech at his daughter’s graduation from high school at Holton-Arms private (all girl) school in suburban Bethesda. Mr. Ford said the graduating class (74) was coming of age “in an exciting time” when “will have more freedom than ever to pursue new opportunities and new challenges,” when some might even choose careers once reserved for men.

Also graduating – Caroline Kennedy graduates from Concord Academy. She was one of 79 graduating seniors at this private school located northwest of Boston.

President Ford scores a victory when House Democrats fail to override his veto of a $5.3 billion emergency jobs bill. Those who know say he rejected the bill for inflation and recession concerns.

Speaking at West Point, President Ford said the United states must lead its allies with a defense posture “second to none” and an energy program showing “Americans have lost neither their nerve nor their national will.”

Price increases slow in May - Wholesale process increased .4% in May after rising 1.5% in April.

The nation’s jobless rate in May reaches 9.2%, the highest since the last year of the Great Depression.

The Ford Administration plans to push the price of gasoline to 70 cents a gallon to encourage conservation, so says Federal Energy Administrator Frank Zarb.

Richard Nixon has a backlog of 2 million cards and letters, most of which he will never be able to answer because of a congressionally limited staff.

Sports news – June 1, 1975

The National Basketball Assn’s Board of Governors slap the Atlanta Hawks with the largest fine in pro sports history, but wait, the Knicks could be hit with a bigger fine. The Atlanta Hawks have been fined $400,000 for their illegal signing three years ago of American Basket Ball Assn. star Julius Erving, now the mainstay of the New York Nets. Then, new commissioner Larry O’Brien ruled the Knicks had committed a “flagrant violation” of league rules by ignoring the NBA’s draft system – as the Hawks did, and sign another ABA talent – George McGinnis of the Indiana Pacers.

Chris Hemmeter, president of the World Football League that the reborn WFL will keep both its finances and crowd counts straight. “We presented good, entertaining football last year but our problem was poor business management. It’s not unusual for people with large investments to owe a lot of money. It’s management of debts that counts.” Hemmeter said the league will be audited regularly and no team will be permitted to take any substantial expenditure without league approval. Each team has up $650,000 in escrow to cover expenses over salaries. Hemmeter said the league’s break-even point is $.5 million per franchise. Minimum average ticket price will be $6.

Pele, perhaps the greatest soccer player of all time, decides to end a brief retirement and returns to professional ranks with the New York Cosmos. His contract calls for him playing the rest of this season plus the 1976 and 1977 seasons for a reported $4.7 million.

Game against Cleveland - Nolan Ryan of the California Angels – pitches his fourth no-hit game – an American League record.

Entertainment /Celebrity news – June 1, 1975

Passing – Ozzie Nelson (75) – Famous TV dad of “Ozzie and Harriet. He died of cancer.

Actor Larry Blyden dies in Morocco of injuries suffered last week in an auto accident. He was 50. Blyden had left the cast of the Broadway hit, “Abused Person Singular” several weeks ago after 250 performances. He’s a past Tony winner.

Music news – June 1, 1975

At Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge The Rolling Stones open a 3-month, 58-concert American concert tour.

Disco Update - More than ever, disco music is spilling over to top-40. The influence of the Discotheque – big in New York, is spreading. Disco records have been breaking into the top-40 more and more because of the initial play at discos. The so-called discotheque came to the U.S. from France during the early 1960’s, but the current trend came from gay clubs. Said one expert – “The discos used to be almost totally gay, but that has changed in the last year. More and more straight people are coming to discos and more and more straight discos are opening up.” Tom Moulton, who writes about the disco scene for Billboard – sums it up by saying New York is the hub of America’s disco scene. “The disco scene has doubled in New York in the last two years. New discos are opening all the time. In the New York area there are about 600 discos and about 30 key discos that you can look at to find out what songs are popular.”

Now Touring - The Alice Cooper Show With Suzi Quatro.

Television news – June 1, 1975

Rick Barry and Mark Spitz sign exclusive contracts with CBS sports as analysts. Spitz, the 7-gold medal winner, will cover amateur aquatic sports Barry, the NBC Golden State Warrior, will work between pro basketball seasons on CBS Sports Spectacular shows, concentrating on track and field events.